Control device



Nov. 23, 1937", w. H. RICHARDS 2,099,706

CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 9, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l MLA.. i@ ZU, N

Nov. 23, 1937. w. H. RICHARDS CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 9, 1935 3Sheets-Sheet 2 a /V/M- Nov.`23, 1937.

W. H. RICHARDS CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 3 sheets-Sheet 3 INVHNTORI/I//L JAM /7. A30/,weas

Patented Nov. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

Application November 9, 1935, Serial No. 49,051

6 Claims.V (Cl. 121-38) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883,asamended April 30, 1928; 370.0. G. 757) The invention described hereinmay be manufactured and. used by or for the Goverment for governmentallpurposes, without the -payment to me of any royalty thereon.

It is an object of my invention to interpose between anoscillatory-member and a manually operatedccntrol wheel or lever adaptedto be connected therewith means for selectively disengagingmanualactuation and providing-servo motor l actuation of said oscillatorymember.

It is a further object of my invention that disengagement of one drivingmeans be accompanied by automatic engagement ofthe other driving means.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of vcertain new and novelimprovements in controll devices which will be hereinafter more fullyillustrated and described in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which numerals of like characterdesignate-similar parts throughout the several claims:

Fig. l is a side view of the servo motor portion of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the lines 3'- of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows valve adjustment for clockwise r0- tation of 'the servomotor;

Fig. 5 shows valve adjustment for counterclockwise rotation of theservomotor;

Fig. 6 is the same as Fig. 3, except for valve closure;

Fig. '7 is a sectional View taken on the lines I-'I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 shows one application of my invention to lighter-than-air craft;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged'sectional view taken on the lines 9-9 of Fig. l;

Fig. l0 shows the Geneva mechanism about to be actuated;

.L5 Fig. ll shows the latch position corresponding to the segmentpositioning of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 shows the Geneva mechanism in process of actuation, and

Fig. 13 shows the latch position corresponding 5) to the segmentpositioning of Fig. 12.

In Figs. 2 through 6, a stationary Vane I is dovetailed to the centralportion of a support 2. The support 2 is fixed to any desired structureby means of mounting plates 3 which are, in

55 turn, secured to the support 2 by means ofretaining screws a, and 4b.The aforementioned parts remain stationary at all times. Holes 5s?. and6, extending beyond the tapped portions` olY the support 2, communicatewith holes I Vand .8; respectively, located normal to the base ofthe.. 5vane I. Longitudinally disposed holes-Sand. Illf.r

in the vane I `align Vrespectively with :theaforesaid holes 'I and 8. Asviewed in Fig. 2; ahole` I I from the far side of the vane Icommunicates with the inner extremity of the hole 9,while a hole I2"10from the near side of the vane I communicates with a similar extremityof the hole II).` Thus;y fluid passing through tapped hole I3 and hole|5721 0f the retaining screw 4a is discharged fromrthefV far side of thevane I, while fluid passingtl'iroughE 15y tapped hole I4 and holel ofthe retaining screww 4b is discharged from the near side of the -vane I.As all. of the aforesaidparts and. passageways remain stationary, itisobvious that tapped holes I3r and I4 may be connected to afluidpres-` 20sure system provided with suitable control means.

The vane I and support 2 are encased in va housing of split drum formcomposed of yportions I'I and I8. One extremity of a exible cable I9,kis secured Ain a tapered hole 2l provided in the V25 outer flange of thedrum portion Il; following which the cable IS is givenV a one-halfclockwise wrap, as sho-wn in Figs. 1, 2, and 8. Similarly, an extremityof a flexible cable ,2li is secured in a tapered hole 22 provided in theouter flange of '30 the drum portion I 8, following which the cable 2Uis given a one-half counter-clockwise wrap, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and8. When secured to-- gether, the portions Hand I8 provide an unbrokencavity through which the vane l can end- 35 lessly sweep and for thatreason it is necessary to provide a header plate 24 which, incombination with the vane I, divides the aforesaid cavity into thechambers 23a and 23h shown in Fig. 3.' The header plate 24 isprovidedwith a by-pass 40 valve 25 having a port 26 adapted to align,when open, with ports 2id and 2lb provided inthe header plate 24. In theopen position of parts shown in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 7, the header platew24functions solely as a stop for the vane I, as uid within the vane cavitycan readily by-pass from chamber 23a to chamber 23h, or vice Versa, withmanual counter-clockwise or clockwise rotation of the drum portions iland Id.

Fluid operation of my invention is accomplished through remote controlof the by-pass valve Z5, in combination with a similarly controlledsource of uid supply. The former control is illustrated in Figs. l, 2,and 8. Referring to Figs. 2 and 10, the drum portion `I'I is pro- 55vided With a journal boss 28 for mounting a Geneva pulley 29.V Thepulley 29 is actuated by means of flexible cables 39 and 19, remotelylocated auxiliary pulleys 3l and li, and guide pulleys 12. The inneriaceof the Geneva pulley 29 is provided with a bearing surface 33, a cut-out34 and an actuating pin 35 tor operation of a Geneva segment 36 fixed toa threaded extremity of. the by-pass valve by means of a nut 9i andlocking pin (not shown). Following assembly of those 4parts securedtogether by means of bolts 38 and 39, ball bearings 49 are installedbetween recesses 4I of drum portions I'I and I8 and the journal portionsof the support 2 after which mounting plates 3 are slipped loosely overthe journaled ends of the drum portions I1 and I8. Prior final Xity ofkretaining screws l0l and 4b, annular packings 42 are installed inrecesses provided between the mounting plates Y3 and the journaled endsof the drum portions Il and I8.'

Let it be assumed that the'mounting plates 3, the auxiliary pulleys 3land 1I, and other parts associated therewith, are mounted as shown inFig. 8. Let it rbe further assumed that the auxiliary pulleys 3| and Hhave previously been subjected to maximum counter-clockwise rotation bymeans of a control handle 13,'such that the parts dispositions of thesplit drum housing are those shown in Figures l, 2,3, 10 and 11. If thecable groove diameters of the pulleys 29. and 3l are of a two-to-oneratio, respectively, just slightly less than one clockwise rotation ofthe auxiliary pulley 3| causes the actuating pin 35 of the Geneva pulley29 to rotate from the position in- ;dicated in Fig. 1 to thenew'position shown in Fig. 10; i. e., the aforesaid pin is about toenter the slotted aperture in the Geneva segment 3E.

If clockwise rotation of 'the Geneva pulley 29 be Y carried anadditional fteen to twenty degrees, past the position of Fig. 10, tothat shown in Fig. "12, it is readily seen that the by-pass valve 25 ofFig. 2 is caused to rotate approximately threefourths of its fullpossible counter-clockwise movement. Thus, in the many and varied posi-"Y tions which the Geneva mechanism may assume to either side of thearbitrary central position shown in Fig. 1, as long as the actuating pin35 is moving towards and lies within close proximity of the open end ofthe Geneva segment slot, slight Y clockwise movement of the pulley 29will close and slight counter-clockwise movement will open the by-passvalve 25. Conversely, if the actuating pin 35 is xed in a position morethan forty degrees to either side of theposition shown .in Fig. 1,rotation of the drum portions I'l and I8 will accomplish inverse openingand closing of the by-pass valve 25. Two clockwise rotations of theauxiliary pulley 3! will cause the Geneva segment 36 to assume thedotted position shown in Figs. 4, 5 and '6, otherwise the part showingof Fig. 1 will remain unaltered. It should be noted in Fig. 6 that ports21a and 2lb are sealed by the sidewalls of the port-2S and thatther'e isno communication between the chambers 23a and V23h. Let it be stillfurther assumed that the control regulating the source'of iiuid supplyutilized in connection with my invention be set such that there isingress of uid into the chamber 23a from the hole II and egress of uidfrom the chamber 23h into the hole I2, as shown in Fig. 4'.

identical. plete counter-clockwise movement of the Geneva V.aooofroochamber 23a and uid decrease in the chamber 23h. As shown in Fig. e, thevolume of the chamber 23a isgreater than that of the chamber 23h. If theaforesaid control be reversed such that there is ingress of fluid intothe chamber 23o from the hole I2 and egress of fluid from the chamber23a into the hole II, then the volurne of the chamber 23h is greaterthan that of the chamber 23a, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus it will be seenthat I have provided a servo motor with an angular operating range inexcess of three hundred degrees. Due to ilexible cable linkage with themast l5, angular movement of the mast member may be readily increased ordecreased by 'decreasing or increasing the lengths of theY arms to whichthe outer two extremities of the exible cables I9 and 29 are secured.

A further novel feature of my invention ccnsists in the provision forrapid interchange of uid for manual and vice Versa control of the drumportions Il and I8. Manual operation of my invention is accomplishedthrough remote control oi an idling member in the form of a sprocket 44mounted upon a journal boss 43 of the drum portion I8. The sprocket 44is secured to the drum portion I8 by means of a retaining ring 45 andscrews 46 and is further provided upon its inner surface with aplurality of notches ai adapted to be engaged by head of a bolt 48. Thebolt 48 has a notch 49 adapted to cooperate with cam portion 59 of theby-pass valve 25 and is slidably mounted in a recess 5! provided in thedrum portion I8, as shown in Figs. 2, '7, 11 and 13. The recess 5I isnarrowed at its lower extremity (see Fig. '7) for housing a spring 52adapted to hold the lowermostl surface of the notch 49 in constantcontact with the outer surface of the cam portion 59. surface of thedrum I8, prevents misalignment of the spring 52 and bolt 48 duringengagement and disengagement with one or another of the notchesI 41. Inthe parts dispositions of Figs. i,

' 2, 3, 7, 10 and 11, the bolt 48 is projected fully within the notch 41such that the sprocket 44 cannot be rotated without corresponding rotak-It should removing from a fluid operation standpoint the head plate 24inserted between the chambers 23a and 23h.

It should be further noted that the sections of Figs. 10 and 11 areviewed from the same side and with identical parts dispositions as theside and parts dispositions of Fig. 1.

The parts dispositions of Figs. 12 and 13 are It is thusreadilyrapparent that comsegment 36 will effect complete removal of thebolt 48 from the notch 4l provided in the sprocket 44, thus freeing thelatter from driving engagement with the drum portions i8 and I9.

y In order that remote operation of the Geneva segment 35 may be reducedto maximum simplicity, the back face of the auxiliary'pulley 3| has beenprovided with a two-turn spiral groove 5d, as shown in Figs.v 1 and 9.The groove 54 is adapted to be operatively engaged by a pin 55projecting from a link 58 pivotally mounted at its upper extremity tothe structure supporting the auxiliary pulley 3l. It will be noted inFig. 1 that further counter-clockwise rotation of the auxiliary pulley3l is prevented by seating of the pin 55 against the outerV endextremity of the groove 54. mit only clockwise rotation of the Genevapulley A plate 53, secured to the outer.

This arrangement is selected to peroncogene-r shown in Fig. 1.

pulley 3|.; fromthe initial 'position shown in Fig.. 1, will cause thesegmentfpositioningfoffFig;12. Two complete clockwise turns of thepulley 3| will causefseating-of the pinl 55against the inner endextremity of the groove 54, whereupon the actuating pin 35 will againhave obtained the positioning of Fig. 1, but the aperture opening in theGeneva segment 35 will slope to the right instead ci the left.Thereafter the auxiliary pulley 3| can be turned in a counter-clockwisedirection only and that for the sole purpose of reopening the closedby-pass valve positionings of Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The pulley 3| ismounted on a bearing screw 'I4 and is remotely controlled by means of anauxiliary pulley a control handle 13, cables 'l and guide pulleys '|2.As has been stated before, these parts remain stationary, except when itis desired to open or close the by-pass valve 25.

One of the many uses to which my invention may be applied is shown inFig. 8. A lighterthan-air elevator control wheel 56 is secured to acontrol room iloor 51 by means of a pedestal 58. The control wheel 55 isprovided with a sprocket 59 and a chain 6|] operatively connected to thesprocket 44 of the drum portion I8. The mounting plates 3 of myinvention are secured to the aft side of a control room partition 6| bymeans of a bracket 62. Flexible cables I9 and 20 extend aft from thedrum portions and I8 for interconnection with elevator masts '|5. Theauxiliary pulley and control handle 13 are placed immediately aft of thecontrol Wheel 56, within easy reach of the operator thereof.

For iluid operation of my invention I have provided a control valve 63actuated by a control handle 64, a source of fluid supply 65 andconventional piping connections 56 through 69. Fluid under pressure issupplied to the control valve 63 by means of connections 66. The bypassvalve 25 is rst closed by means of the control handle |3. Thereafterthrough forward movement (counter-clockwise, as viewed in Fig, 8) of thecontrol handle 64, fluid is permitted to escape through connections 61into the retaining screw 4b and from thence into the chamber 23h. At thesame time uid from the chamber 23a is permitted to escape from theretaining screw 4a through connections 68 and 69 to the outeratmosphere. The aforementioned fluid passage induces steadycounter-clockwise movement of the drum portions and |8 until the controlhandle E4 is brought back to the neutral position shown in Fig. 8.Obviously, backward movement of the control handle 64 induces clockwisemovement of the drum portions and |8. If, during either of the foregoingmovements, predetermined counter-clockwise movement of the auxiliarypulley 3! is effected by means of the control handle, uid control of myinvention is rendered ineffective and manual operation of the drumportions and I8 will be required through the medium of the control wheel55. Further, I do not wish to limit my iluid control to a gas controlledsystem. It is at once apparent that the connections 66 and Gil areequally applicable to interconnection with a liquid controlled systemcaused to ebb or ilow through proper control interconnection with thecontrol handle 64.

Ifclaim:

1.1 Ina .control system comprising, a member to beoscillated,"a'bi-chambered servo motor havinglazportionof its housingformed for rotatable connection to said member for fluid actuationthereof; an idling-member journaled to said-rotat able housing,andacontrol wheel directly connectedtosaididling -member for manualactuation ,thereof-,'means selectively fixing the idling member .totheservo housingand further means operatively connected to said firstmentioned means to permit free fluid ow between the bichambers of saidservo motor during manual actuation of said oscillated member.

2. In a control system comprising, a member to be oscillated, abi-chambered servo motor having a portion of its housing formed forrotatable connection to said member for fluid actuation thereof, anidling member journaled to said rotatable housing, and a control wheeldirectly connected to said idling member for manual actuation thereof,means selectively fixing the idling member to the servo housing andfurther means to permit free fluid flow between the bi-chambers of saidservo motor, said former means being so connected to said latter meansas to automatically assure free inter-chamber fluid flow during manualactuation of said oscillated member.

3. In a control system comprising, a member to be oscillated, abi-chambered servo motor having a rotating housing portion operativelyconnected to said oscillated member including an idling member journaledto said rotating housing portion, and a control wheel operativelyconnected to said idling member, means for selectively fixing orreleasing said member rotationally with respect to said rotating housingand further means connected therewith to correspondingly provide for orprevent free fluid flow between the bi-chambers of said servo motorduring corresponding manual or fluid pressure actuation of saidoscillated member.

4. In a control system comprising, a member to be oscillated, abi-chambered servo motor having a rotating housing portion operativelyconnected to said oscillated member including an idling member journaledto said rotating housing portion, and a control wheel operativelyconnected to said idling member, means for selectively releasing saididling member rotationally with respect to said housing and furthermeans to prevent free uid ilow between the bi-chambers of said servomotor, said former means being so connected to said latter means as toautomatically prevent free inter-chamber iluid ilow during fluidactuation of said oscillated member.

5. A servo motor comprising, a stationary portion operatively connectedwith a controlled source of iluid supply, a rotating housing incasingsaid stationary portion including a header plate forming with saidstationary portion two housing chambers, said housing having itsperiphery adapted for drum cable winding, an idling sprocket journaledadjacent to the cable winding portion of said rotating housing, meansfor selectively fixing or releasing said idling sprocket.

rotationally with respect to Said rotating housing, and further meansassociated with said header plate to permit or prevent inter-chamberfluid flow, said former means being so connected to said latter meansthat sprocket fixity simultaneously provides inter-chamber iluid flowwhile releasing of said idling sprocket simultaneously preventsinter-chamber iluid flow.

6. A servo motor comprising, a stationary portion operatively connectedwith a controlled source of fluid supply, a rotating housing incasingsaid stationary portion including a header plate forming With saidstationary portion two housing chambers, said housing havingv itsmaximum diameter adapted for drum cable Winding, an idling sprocketjournaled adjacent to the cable winding portion of said rotatinghousing, means for selectively fixing or releasing said sprocket 0rotationally with respect to said rotating housing,

and further means associated with said header plate to permit or preventinter-chamber iiuid flow, said former means being so connected to saidlatter means that sprocket xity simultaneously and automaticallyprovides inter-chamber uid flow While releasing of Said idling sprocketsimultaneously and automatically prevents inter-chamber fluid iiow.

WILLIAM H. RICHARDS.

